Shrira A, Zaslavsky O, LaCroix AZ, Seguin R, Post S, Tindle H, Hingle M, Woods N, Cochrane B, Garcia L, Schnall E, Rillamas-Sun E, Palgi Y. Global quality of life modifies terminal change in physical functioning among older adult women.
Age Ageing 2015;
44:520-4. [PMID:
25380594 DOI:
10.1093/ageing/afu176]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
the factors that moderate decline in physical functioning as death approaches are understudied. This study aimed to assess death-related decline in global quality of life (QoL) and physical functioning and to test whether baseline QoL moderates terminal decline in physical functioning.
METHODS
four thousand six hundred and fifty-one decedents from the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) rated QoL and physical functioning each year throughout 5 years of follow-up.
RESULTS
both QoL and physical functioning showed a steeper decline as a function of years to death than as a function of chronological age. Moreover, decedents with higher QoL at baseline showed a less steep decline in physical functioning as death approached than those with lower QoL at baseline.
CONCLUSION
although QoL strongly decreases across the terminal years, its beneficial influence on physical functioning is evident till the very end of life.
Collapse